Friday, October 02, 2009

DTN News: Northrop Grumman's Hunter Unmanned Aircraft System Fielded With Automatic Takeoff And Landing System
*Source: DTN News / Northrop Grumman Corporation
(NSI News Source Info) HERNDON, Va., - October 2, 2009: Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has equipped and fielded its Hunter Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) with an Automatic Takeoff and Landing System (ATLS) to the Army's UAS Training Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where it successfully completed its first launch and recovery.
The MQ-5B Hunter, which is currently deployed in contingency operations, provides warfighters with state-of-the-art reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), communications relay, signal intelligence, and weapons delivery. Hunter recently surpassed 80,000 flight hours, 53,000 of which are combat-related.
Hunter, which has been in use with the Army since 1996, was originally designed using an External Pilot (EP) for take-offs and landings. Like a radio-controlled airplane, the EP required someone manually controlling Hunter during approach and landing as well as take-off. Using differential GPS, ATLS eliminates the need for an EP and allows Hunter to take-off and land automatically and do so precisely at pre-surveyed points on the runway.
The MQ-5B Hunter, which is currently deployed in contingency operations, provides warfighters with state-of-the-art reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), communications relay, signal intelligence, and weapons delivery. Hunter recently surpassed 80,000 flight hours, 53,000 of which are combat-related.
"Our warfighters and their safety are top priorities at Northrop Grumman," said Bob Avery, Northrop Grumman Technical Services' ATLS program manager. "Take-off and landing tend to be the riskiest flight evolutions for Hunter. Not only does ATLS significantly reduce such risks -- keeping the nation's warfighters safe -- it also reduces manpower requirements and operator workload."
Northrop Grumman's Hunter team also recently received a $39 million follow on to the Army's Combine Base Rotation effort to continue to support Army Hunter units in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The RQ-5A Hunter was the Army's first fielded UAS. The MQ-5B is the next-generation Hunter, continuing a legacy of service to Army corps, division and brigade warfighters. Flying over the battlefield with its multi-mission optronic payload, the MQ-5B gathers RSTA information in real time and relays it via video link to commanders and soldiers on the ground.
The MQ-5B Hunter is distinguished by its heavy fuel engines, its "wet" (fuel-carrying) extended center wing with weapons-capable hard points and a modern avionics suite. The MQ-5B Hunter system uses the Army's One System ground control station and remote video terminal. It also carries a communications relay package to extend the radio range of warfighters.
"Each day and each new innovation further demonstrate the adaptability of the Hunter UAS," said Karl Purdy, Northrop Grumman Technical Services' Hunter program manager. "We're always looking for ways to make Hunter a better platform for our warfighters, and ATLS does just that with the added bonus of reduced risk."
The MQ-5B features a robust, fixed-wing, twin tail-boom design with redundant control systems powered by two heavy fuel engines - one engine to "push" and another to "pull" the air vehicle. Another Hunter capability is its relay mode that allows one Hunter to be controlled by another UAV at extended ranges or over terrain obstacles typical of those found in the Balkans and Afghanistan.
Hunter's toughness and reliability are unmatched as it maintains an operational readiness rate over 95 percent in operational theaters. It is an ideal platform for spiral enhancements and technology refresh payloads. Recently Northrop Grumman integrated a new suite of avionics for Hunter, including upgraded flight and mission computers, an auxiliary power distribution unit, the LN-251 inertial navigation system with GPS, a downsized data link system, and an APX-118 IFF transponder. The avionics suite improves performance by reducing size, weight, and power consumption of the equipment used to control the aircraft and manage its critical subsystems.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

DTN News: Raytheon Delivers First Joint Standoff Weapon C To Australia*Source: DTN News / Raytheon
(NSI News Source Info) TUCSON, Ariz., - October 2, 2009: Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) delivered the first Joint Standoff Weapon C to Australia in July for the Royal Australian Air Force's new F/A-18F Hornet fighter aircraft. JSOW is integrated on all variants of the F/A-18, F-15, and on several variants of the F-16, B-2 and B-52 aircraft. The weapon is currently being integrated on the Joint Strike Fighter.*
In addition to the JSOW C, the RAAF has placed an order for the JSOW C-1, which is currently in production; deliveries will begin in 2010. The JSOW C-1 maintains the land attack capability of JSOW C and adds a moving maritime target capability by incorporating a datalink. This enables the JSOW to receive target updates as it flies to its objective.
"We're thrilled that Australia is a member of the growing JSOW family," said Phyllis McEnroe, Raytheon's JSOW program director. "The on-time delivery of the JSOW C positions Australia well for its 2010 JSOW C-1 deliveries."
The combat-proven JSOW is a family of low-cost, air-to-ground glide weapons with a range of 70 nautical miles (80.5 statute miles). It employs an integrated GPS-inertial navigation system and terminal uncooled infrared seeker that guides the weapon to the target. JSOW is integrated on all variants of the F/A-18, F-15, and on several variants of the F-16, B-2 and B-52 aircraft. The weapon is currently being integrated on the Joint Strike Fighter.
Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
Note to Editors:Raytheon's JSOW program provides more than 280 jobs in Tucson, Ariz. Scores of Raytheon suppliers associated with the JSOW program provide employment to hundreds of people across the U.S.
Major suppliers include: Carleton Technologies, Inc., Orchard Park, N.Y.; Computer Optical Products, Inc., Chatsworth, Calif.; Enser, Pinellas Park, Fla.; GE Aviation Systems, LLC, Bohemia, N.Y.; Goodrich Corporation, Vergennes, Vt.; Herley Industries, Lancaster, Pa.; Honeywell International Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.; Klune Industries, Inc., Spanish Fork, Utah; L-3 Communications, Menlo Park, Calif.; L-3 Communications Telemetry West, San Diego, Calif.; LaBarge, Inc., Saint Louis, Mo.; Primus Technologies, Corp., Williamsport, Pa.; Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapid, Iowa

DTN News: Israel To Seal Off West Bank Border For 9 Days*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) TEL AVIV, Israel - October 2, 2009: Israel has announced plans to shut down the West Bank border for almost ten days so that Jewish Israelis can celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
(Image: The West Bank border at Bethlehem)
The closure will begin on Thursday, October 1 and will end at sunset on Saturday, October 10, the Israeli military spokesman announced.
The closure will begin from Thursday at midnight; a military statement said and added that persons in need of medical care will not be affected by the closure.
"The passage of humanitarian aid as well as doctors, medical personnel, NGO members, lawyers, religious workers and additional professional groups will be authorized by the District Coordination and Liaison office," the statement added, dpa reported.
Israel regularly seals off the Palestinian territories under the pretext of security reasons and Jewish festivals.

DTN News: China TODAY October 2, 2009 ~ China Celebrates 60th Birthday With Lavish Show*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - October 2, 2009: China on Thursday celebrated 60 years of communist rule with a military parade and elaborate pageant on Beijing's Tiananmen Square showcasing the nation's revival as a global power. BEIJING - OCTOBER 01: Fireworks explode over Tiananmen Square during the evening party for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 2009 in Beijing, China. Chinese people commemorated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China with massive celebrations taking place across the country including a grand military parade and mass pageant in Beijing.
Thousands of troops marched in tight formations, fighter jets flew over the city and the world's largest military displayed an array of high-tech weaponry including intercontinental ballistic missiles in a patriotic show of force.
President Hu Jintao extolled the country's Communist Party-led rebirth in a speech to the invitation-only crowd from Tiananmen gate, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic on October 1, 1949.
"The development and progress of the new China over the past 60 years fully proved that only socialism can save China, and only reform and opening up can ensure the development of China, socialism and Marxism," Hu told the crowd.
China typically holds grand celebrations every 10 years to commemorate Mao's pronouncement, but authorities promised that this year's festivities would top those staged in the past -- and outdo last year's Olympic opening ceremony. Related article: Internet, dissidents under watch
The government wants to send a clear message: that China, the world's third-largest economy and with a population of 1.3 billion, has re-emerged as a proud and undeniable global force.
Hu, in a high-collared Mao-style tunic, underlined this confidence in his speech before a packed Tiananmen Square festooned in the nation's red and yellow.
"Today a socialist China that faces the future is standing tall and firm in the East," he declared.
An estimated 200,000 people took part in the lavish morning festivities, which unfolded under clear blue skies.
Flexing its growing muscle, China paraded long-range nuclear missiles capable of striki ng the heart of the United States and other homegrown weaponry signalling that a nation once bullied by foreign powers is a pushover no more. Related article: China's military power
The military show was followed by a colourful parade, with tens of thousands of people marching and singing in unison in a testament to China's ability to harness its vast manpower on a massive scale.
Besides goose-stepping troops, squads of pink-clad women "volunteers" dubbed the "iron roses" marched in go-go boots, while thousands of other participants danced around waving flowing fans, pompoms and bouquets of flowers.
Sports heroes such as hurdler Liu Xiang rode on one of a series of brightly decorated floats as 80,000 children flipped hand-held cards to spelling out messages such as "Socialism is Good" on the massive square.
Despite the burst of pride, official insecurity has also been on clear display -- authorities have imposed draconian security in a bid to prevent an array of perceived threats from spoiling the party.
These include tension in ethnic minority regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet, and widespread social discontent over a widening wealth gap, corruption and environmental degradation.
China rammed home its message of unity in an evening song-and-dance spectacular at the square featuring performers dressed to represent the nation's 56 ethnic groups and singing songs from minority regions as fireworks lit up the night sky.
It ended with the suited-and-booted leaders of China's powerful politburo, including Premier Wen Jiabao, entering the square to dance stiffly with participants.
The tight security meant most of Beijing's 17 million people were relegated to watching the pageant in their hometown on television like the rest of China.
Lu Haishi, 23, travelled all the way from Shanghai to watch the festivities with friends -- on TV.
"We've rented a room to see the parade on television in a hotel near the route, to get the atmosphere," he said.
The Mao-led 1949 communist takeover ended years of foreign domination and war, while three decades of economic reforms initiated by late leader Deng Xiaoping enriched China and propelled it back into the ranks of world powers.
No major protests in mainland China against communist rule were reported on Thursday.
But in the territory of Hong Kong there were minor scuffles between protesters and police as hundreds took to the streets to urge Chinese leaders to improve human rights and release jailed dissidents.
Taiwan, meanwhile, responded coolly to a call by Hu for complete reunification of the Chinese "motherland," in which Beijing includes the self-ruled island. Related article: Taiwan rejects call for reunification
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council rejected that, calling itself an "independent sovereign state".